Advanced Media and Technology Law Blog

FTC Monitoring Social Networking Sites and Mobile Arena

In testimony before a Senate subcommittee, Jessica Rich, Deputy Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said that the FTC is closely monitoring social networking sites and the mobile arena as part of its efforts to protect teens in the digital environment. Rich stated that teens tend to be more impulsive than adults and may not always think about the consequences of sharing information online and, as a result, may divulge more information online than they should. Rich discussed the FTC's recent public roundtables about social networking and consumer privacy, and noted that the FTC believes the privacy recommendations that come out of those discussions should benefit teens by providing teens with both a greater understanding of how their information may be used and a greater ability to control such information. Rich concluded that the FTC will continue to use enforcement actions, education, and